PRETENDING ORGASM DURING SEXUAL INTERCOURSE - CORRELATES IN A SAMPLE OF YOUNG-ADULT WOMEN

Although popular media have addressed the issue of women pretending or gasm during sexual intercourse, the research literature on the phenome non is sparse. In the current study, 161 young adult women provided da ta regarding lifetime sexual experience, objective and subjective phys ical attractiveness, sexual attitudes (erotophobia-erotophilia), sexua l esteem, and general tendencies toward self-monitoring of expressive behaviour in social situations. Overall, more than one-half of the wom en reported having pretended orgasm during sexual intercourse. In univ ariate analyses, the ''pretenders'' and ''nonpretenders'' did not diff er in experimenter-rated facial attractiveness, self-rated body attrac tiveness, or general self-monitoring. However, pretenders were signifi cantly older; viewed themselves as facially more attractive, reported having had first intercourse at a younger age; reported greater number s of lifetime intercourse, fellatio, and cunnilingus partners; and sco red higher on measures of sexual esteem and erotophilia. In multivaria te analyses, only sexual esteem was uniquely related to having pretend ed orgasm. The findings are discussed with regard to possible explanat ions and implications, as well as directions for future research.